Great Googa-Mooga, it has been a long couple of weeks! Sorry for the extended absence folks, but life was busy placing large boot to wide ass of your's truly!
For starters, the whole family's been sick on and off for the last three weeks. Beyond that, life has simply been crazy. Every night after work we've been running somewhere, every weekend has been a scheduled event or working on the house (or dying under a blanket with a fever!) Work . . . shit, it's just been one more level of insanity! Problems, nightmares, trainees . . . the usual BS.
Well, I did not make my NaNo goal this year (though I did churn out 35, ooo words which ain't too shabby!) I was a little behind because of the screwed up counter I was using, then the holiday and other crap hit and that was all she (or in this case: "HE"!) wrote. I'm not too upset with it actually. NaNo is a way to help you learn to write regularly and I'm fair-to-middlin' about that as it is. 30k a month is about standard for me anyway so it's not lack of AIC (Ass-In-Chair) that's holding me back. My real stumbling block is still the business end of things. I am NOT working hard enough at getting the novels edited and into the hands of agents/publishers. I write fairly regularly (though it'd be a lot more if I could do this full time!) I just have a feeling sometimes that I use the act of writing as a cover up for not submitting. I can tell myself I'm too busy "writing" to revise or submit. Gotta stop that. I can write a hundred novels and it won't mean crap for my career if I never get them out the door, now will it?
It is now December and I have made myself a promise: I ain't doin' a dam thing this month! The year has gone by in a blur and I intend to spend the last month of it at home, with my family. I ain't doing meetings, running, volunteering, working late . . . nothing! I need a break. I need some time to sit with The Wife and The Boy and just relax for a bit. I'll work on my house and do the Christmas shopping thing with them, but that's the only stuff that will get my ass out of the house for the rest of the year. Anything else . . . I just ain't a-gonna do 'er!
I'm going to continue working on "Tears" and I'm looking forward to finishing off "First" (hopefully before the end of Feb.) but beyond that I will not begin a new novel until I have completely revised and submitted all the ones I've already written. This is what I have as of today:
1. "Knights" - My first completed novel. Not publishable, but a good learning experience. Was supposed to be start of a series but . . . (shrug)
2. "Slayer" - My second completed novel. This is the one I've been querying on. It's 100% done and I've gotten some nibbles on it but I'm worried it may not be quite good enough.
3. "Fish" - First Draft done and better than 1/2 way through edits. My best work so far. I think this is probably my best shot at landing a contract so it's being bumped to top priority.
4. "Clans" - First Draft done but the idea of edits is daunting. Very long book (180k) and it's only book one of a series. Needs a LOT of editing but it's got some pretty original fantasy ideas (I think, anyway!)
5. "First" - The First Draft is about 90% complete but it's running long (already at about 120k). It will need a good bit of editing. It's also book one of a series. I like this one. It's not "cutting edge" fantasy or anything but I think it's got a good voice and plenty of action.
6. "Tears" - My new work for this years NaNo. Contemporary fantasy (sort of) that may be completely out of my league. I'm about 1/3 of the way through the First Draft.
I'm not including the other three novels I started, that died out at about 40k or so, or the dozens of short stories, etc. I've written (two published in paying markets, thank you very much!). All totaled though, that's a lot of writing for very little show. I will finish these last two novels and work on getting everything (except "Knights" of course) published. If none of them fly . . . well, I have to imagine that if I'm not publishable after close to a million written words, then I never will be. I won't be starting any new works until I have at least one of these published. There comes a point in any endeavor where you have to acknowledge your own limitations and admit that your talent doesn't match your dreams. I'm not at that point yet . . . but I think I see it hovering out there on the horizon. We'll see how it goes. Anyone wanna come along for the ride? :-)
Later!
4 comments:
I'm popping out of lurkdom to wish you the best on all your edits, and that I hope you don't let the fact that you haven't been published yet deter you from writing. You write because you enjoy it, right? Keep doing it for yourself, for that is the reason you started.
Keep up the dream. I am not disciplined enough to become an author. You, good sir, have a very solid chance of getting a book published. I am living vicariously through your attempts of getting published. I will merely make the maps for your books.
Hi, Jim.
Courage to comment:-)
You'll make it. I believe in your abilities, your discipline and your determination. I think Fish is going to get things moving for you. I sent out an emailed query on Friday. I haven't done that in a long time.
Hang in, Jim. You have what it takes.
Thank you all. Seriously.
I'm not throwing in the towel yet, I'm just trying to focus on really getting published instead of writing things that end up sitting in a draw for years. Does seem a little hopeless some days but having a few folks stop by who say they believe always helps. Thanks again.
Later!
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